At the beginning of quarantine, I started writing about foods of travels past as we all reminisced on the idea of exploring the world, while stuck inside. 2 years later, it seems like there is some sort of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. I definitely see the light, considering I was fortunate enough to finally roam the streets of Europe again with a family trip to Istanbul, Turkey! Here starts part 1 of Turkish Eats.
The choices of where to eat in Istanbul are seemingly endless. From street food to rows of dessert shoppes to the famous Salt Bae original, you can find something to your liking or venture out and find something new and interesting. We did both, but I will start with a meal at Three Partners Cafe and Restaurant. At the time (October 2021) rated number one restaurant, at the publishing of this post rated number four, on TripAdvisor. We read the reviews and what people ordered and decided we needed to go, and we needed to order simply, everything. Pictured above is a table of:
– Dip sampler with pita bread
– Hamoula salad
– House salad
– Chicken entree
– Mixed meat entree
– All of the sides that we get our hands on
Let’s zoom in on the reoccurring theme: well-seasoned meat, vegetables, and rice. Every main ordered from the land, air, or sea comes prepared to be the most succulent and tender form of protein, and with spices and herbs for a kick that excite your taste buds!
The chicken is absolutely divine. Succulent and well-seasoned, it’s the preparation that makes the meat tray mouthwatering from corner to corner. All meats (including the lamb and beef) are juicy and tender. It’s as if they really know what they’re doing around there! Served with a host of accompanying sides: shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, grilled peppers, fries, rice, and salad
Speaking of salad, we ordered a couple of versions. Halloumi or haloumi cheese is a semi-hard, unripen cheese made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk, and sometimes also cow’s milk. It is excellent for grilling and is often seen as a meat substitute, so long as its high melting point is taken advantage of like in the above. Unlike a creamy cheese, it holds shape and therefore holds its own perfectly in salads. You don’t even realize a salad is meatless because of how filling it is. The takeaway here was this is an ingredient we must incorporate into our meals when back at home.
To the side, peeking through above, is the dip sampler, served with pita bread. Meze dips consisting of tzatziki, eggplant, various hummus, grilled minced vegetables- there was something for everyone! A good, warm pita bread with fresh, house made dips is just what we needed to cleanse pallets in between sneaking bites off of one another’s plates.
Finally, there was my main dish. You can have some very nicely prepared meats, so I recommend adding this as a side, unless fully vegetarian of course. I cannot recall the name of this dish unfortunately, but the menu has images so I am sure one could find it. Boiling hot, peppers, eggplants, onions, other veg, and cheese simmered and melted into a heavenly sauce. I love the way the dish came; in the skillet it was cooked in so all of those flavors could continue cooking together, grabbing the seasonings from the skillet itself. Served with rice for pouring over to absorb the plentiful sauce, this brings any “rice bowl” I have had to shame (although comparing is just rude). Loving bread as much as I do, I used the pita to dip and dunk my way through this vegetable delight.
As a bonus, the friendly staff serves free tea and baklava post meal (which, by the way, free breads were served throughout). Sweet apple tea and traditional baklava to round out a must have dining experience at Three Partner’s Cafe and Restaurant.
